The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-08-11


are not myriads of murders that do not oati
Whether the story am about to tell tends
to prove the truth of the old adage, the reader
will judge.
Twenty years ago, was what was known
among lawyers, as ''circuit-rider"- fol-
lowed the courts from county to county.
My partner in the county of o., by name
Nonfort, combined the business OF the law
with that of banking. He resided, not at the
county seat, off the railroad, but at the thriv-
ing village of Mound City, by which rail-
road ran. He was the most observant man
/ ever knew, and as such men usually are,
was something of gossip in harmless way,
however, for he bore no false witness. There
was no person in the village of whose ante
cedents he did not know all that was know
able.
Mound City was one Of the earliest settle
ments of that region of the Stats, 80 when
began to visit it there were but few of the
pioneers surviving. Among these was one,
Abel Moncure, then past eighty, who had
accumulated large fortune.
Shortly after entering into partnership
with Monfort, l met this octogenarian in my
partners bank, in which, indeed, he was Q.
stockholder. It CHANGED Tor was it his habitp
that as stepped into the bank, the old man
turned quickly about, facing me, with an
expression of countenance bespeaking sus-
picious inquiry. So striking was his aspect
that paused and we stood staring at each
other, seeing which, my partner came for
ward and introduced US.
On learning who I was the old mans
countenance relaxed, the look of suspicious
{v,rv v,ss shoI hn ,,oI nbo
resumed conversation with Monfort. Seating
myself where could see his face fell to
studying it, for had at once seen-I knew
not what.
He was almost gigantic in size, weighing,
without remarkable corpulency considerably
more than three hundred pounds. His
height in his prime had been six feet three.
He stopped slightly, now, under the weight
Of years, but by no means looked his four
score. His head was Websterian in size and
finely formed, while his face bore evidences
Of unusual mental strength and force Of
character. Though unlettered, he had cut .
large figure in the early days of the State in
the Legislature, when that body was filled
with men still famous in the history and
traditions of the Commonwealth.
A. sat puxzling my brain over what it was
in this fine old face that made me feel un-
comfortable, and caused it to appear almost
pitiable, he turned his eyes full upon me,
and seeing that was studying him, blushedi
Y0; the face of this man of eighty grew
rud mp to the crown of his great hairless
headi And now had become satisfied a
to the character of the expression that had
puxsled me. It ID trite name that I'm
about to give it, but none other 10 fitly de-
scribes Il. Il was unmistakably . hunted
look-and 20 long had he been pursued by
the dread or apprehension, or whatever It
alone, but bore witness in every wrinkle
and seam in his face; %, imagine that II
suddenly his eyN had taken ON the aspect
Of innocent and undisturbed old age, their
expression would have been strangely in
congruous with their surroundings, belying
the wrinkles and seams Of fear with which
his face had been, through fifty years,
crossed and criss-crossed. Yet to those who
saw him daily in the quiet village none Of
those dgns were visible
Heleft the bank. and an hour Later my part
nsr and had started to the county seat, ten
miles distant. Our road led through table
lands, thousand acres or more, owned BY
this old man. About mile from the VII
lace saw standing, half mile further on,
ON the brow OF lofty bluff, overlooking the
broad plain below, through which one Of the
principal rivers Of the State winds, the figure
of man, on which the slanting rays Of the
sun, now low in the horizon, fell, making Il
look colossal.
The figure was motionless, and appeared
to b gasing at the rolling river. some TIVE
miles away.
"who IL thatf" asked Of my companion
and guessing the answer.
'sUncls Abel Moncure, the old man in
troduced you TO just now. l have seen him
sanding 20, st that same spot, moro than
6fty times within the last twenty five years.
Al thess table lands as far - you can ses
ere his. Besides he owns hundreds of acres
IN The river bottoms; and he appears TO en-
1oy thus quietly looking ct them. And Il =
lse1ty light enough, you muet admit, -
Wes the rather slabofats answer Of my
passncS.
"EIs y mot looking at his land, NOR d be
q this moment conscious Of owning foot
ofland ON Ill this broad earth |" said .
momsnt later.
why, what do you msanr' cried Mon
fwk turning about and looking q me in
4Dansment.
Il don't know" I" I ansv~sd, s'only know
~ thst man b ndthsr looking at nor
thinking of his landsi His mind has far
dl1Isent and - Agreeable food for rs6ee'
A., you've beard The tradition than, hsvs
vo1 p sxclaimsd my companion.
- tsaditioni What tradition. prsyf II
4 q Bss tradition, IT me hsaz Il. Il win
6paG1n, 20 doubk what has % sTeatiy pus-
- - floa ~ moment I sav thoss ~
,rohle 90"
~ rssiiy eaew snd bssan 70 eonjsctuss
4 ~ tnasnqtw of ths stosy ! uas to heas.
Wd1 r. beGan my companion, ''the tale
'4 - - taI = no ioner ths subject owl
- Gnip = lnng ~ Il vas. An vhe
2 fvjne - hsys go - joiB ~ -
i y !, ~ Gnt III 90 ~ -,
ee ~ ysas ~ epsivssvn yeaz
7sseu> ~ ysu.s ~, !. ~
4 N11ey9 ~ R -